By Shawn Gallagher
It may take some thought when choosing a seat for a flight these days. Delta’s Comfort Plus is no exception. Many people wonder what the difference is and whether the extra charge is worth it or not. Let’s take a look at the differences between Comfort Plus and regular Main Cabin.
What Is Delta’s Comfort Plus?
Comfort Plus on Delta is an economy class seat with extra legroom and a few extra perks. This is the equivalent of Main Cabin Extra on American Airlines and Economy Plus on United.
I recently flew Comfort Plus on a long haul international flight. Read about my experience here.
Legroom
Legroom is the biggest difference when it comes to Comfort Plus vs Main Cabin. Comfort Plus seats have a nice 34 inches of legroom, while regular economy class seats have 31 inches. It may not sound like a huge difference, but it can become noticeable during longer flights.
This is the amount of space between my knees and the seat in front of me when sitting upright. There’s plenty of room to stretch my legs, which helps in making flights less tiring.
Priority Boarding
Comfort Plus passengers board before the rest of Main Cabin. This means there’s less waiting around before your boarding group gets called, which is always nice. You’ll also deplane a little quicker as you’re seated ahead of economy class.
Dedicated Overhead Space
Comfort Plus passengers get dedicated overhead storage space. This means that even if you board the plane towards the end, your luggage will still likely be with you near your seat, not on the other side or the back of the cabin.
This is especially key for domestic flights, where storage is always limited and a number of passengers always have to check in their carry on at the gate. The early boarding helps with this as well.
Related: Delta Airlines A350 Economy Class Review, Detroit to Tokyo
How Much For Comfort Plus?
The price tag can vary significantly. For domestic flights, prices start at $10 (as an upgrade from a main cabin seat), but you will regularly see prices higher than that. For example, I have a Detroit to New York JFK flight coming up in 2 months as I’m writing this, and the Comfort Plus price tag for that flight is $79.
International flights will cost more, and in many cases, cost an extra several hundred dollars. I luckily was once able to get an upgrade for $50, but I’ve also seen price tags of $250.
Comfort Plus With Status
Delta Medallion status holders get complimentary access to Comfort Plus seats. Diamond and Platinum members can receive upgrades shortly after booking, while Gold and Silver members can get upgrades based on availability on departure day.
Final Thoughts
Comfort Plus can be a great upgrade from regular economy if the price is right, or if you’re a Medallion status holder and can get complimentary access. If you’re tall and require the extra legroom, it might also be worth it, although I would take a look at the exit row seats first.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my review of Delta’s Comfort Plus on the Airbus A350!
All photos taken by the author.